E.Timor should form anti-graft commission: president
(AFP)

DILI — East Timor should form its anti-corruption commission soon to support the economy and maintain people's trust in the half-island nation, President Jose Ramos-Horta said Saturday.

The Nobel laureate said at a military event that fighting graft was an important step and part of a national interest.

"There has been an initiative from the government to form an anti-corruption commission," Ramos-Horta said.

"We have to fight against illegal action in order to maintain trust from our economic agents and the public," he said.

"But it's urgent for the government to quickly nominate the high commissioners for the anti-corruption commission. Trust is very expensive and fragile," he said.

East Timor has been rocked by several corruption scandals this year.
A report in July by the nation's Ombudsman alleged that deputy prime minister Jose Luis Guterres had abused his power by securing a United Nations job for his wife in which she was overpaid by thousands of dollars.

In August, opposition Fretilin party lawmakers called for Justice Minister Lucia Lobato and Finance Minister Emilia Pires to be sacked after ombudsman reported alleged abuse of power by the pair over government projects.

East Timor won formal independence in 2002, three years after a UN-backed referendum that saw an overwhelming vote to break away from Indonesia's 24-year occupation of the country.

Despite massive natural gas deposits, East Timor's largely rural population is among the world's poorest.

source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gEQpaGlfVipem7DSgk5abBbSj6KQ

FRETILIN PARLIAMENTARY BENCH
TIMOR-LESTE NATIONAL PARLIAMENT
MEDIA STATEMENT

Dili, 27 November 2009

UN resolution on Myanmar welcomed: T-L Government abstention on vote condemned

FRETILIN, as the political party holding the most number of seats in the Timor-Leste National Parliament, welcomes the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly last week of the resolution on the situation of human rights in Myanmar/Burma.

However, we condemn the Timor-Leste de facto government’s decision to abstain from the vote in the UN General Assembly on the Myanmar/Burma resolution last week. During this week’s budget debate session, in the presence of the de facto Prime Minister, Xanana Gusmao and Foreign Minister, Zacarias da Costa FRETILIN clearly stated its support for the resolution, in keeping with our voting record since 2002 of support for similar resolutions.

The UN resolution "strongly condemns the ongoing systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms" of the people of Burma and calls on the military regime "to take urgent measures to put an end to violations of international human rights and humanitarian law."

The resolution was adopted by the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, responsible for the promotion and protection of human rights, with a record of 92 member States voting in favor and 26 member States voting against. By abstaining, the Timor-Leste government has once again demonstrated its tolerance of impunity in relation to human rights violations.

The UN body expresses its grave concern over the recent trial and sentencing of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, and the current imprisonment of more than 2,000 political prisoners, as well as the restrictions imposed by the junta to rights of freedom of expression, assembly and association.

Moreover, the resolution "expresses grave concern at the continuing practice of arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, rape and other forms of sexual violence, torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, and strongly calls upon the Government of Myanmar to allow a full, transparent, effective, impartial and independent investigation into all reports of human rights violations, and to bring to justice those responsible in order to end impunity for such crimes".

Article 7, line 1) of the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste states that: “On matters of international relations, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste shall govern itself by the principles of national independence, the right of the Peoples to self-determination and independence, the permanent sovereignty of the peoples over their wealth and natural resources, the protection of human rights…….”The people of Timor-Leste struggled for 24 years against a foreign occupation and were greatly assisted and protected in our struggle by international human rights law. Our human rights prevailed and we are an independent nation state today because the international community recognized our human rights.

Our people are deeply committed to promoting and defending human rights abuse wherever it occurs and our constitution enshrines that in law. Timor-Leste has ratified all United Nations Treaties and conventions as a consequence. Unfortunately the actions of this de facto government do not reflect that commitment since the restoration of our independence on 20 May 2002.

It is however, regrettably very much in keeping with the AMP de facto government’s contempt for human rights and the rule of law, and its tolerance of impunity, which it demonstrated on 30 August last by illegally freeing a prisoner (former militia leader Maternus Bere) who awaiting trial for gross mass crimes against humanity in Timor-Leste, and then assisted him to leave the country.

Jose Fernandes Teixeira
FRETILIN MP and member of Parliamentary
Defense, Security and Foreign Affairs Committee-B Contact: +670 728 7080

• www.timornewsline.com

  
  

  Govt waiting for a fair decision from Parliament: Gusmão
  

  Radio Televisaun Timor Leste , 26 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão recognized that so far the Government had not set up the approved anti-corruption commission (KAK), due to it was still waiting for a fair decision from the Parliament.

• Horta calls for Govt to ratify Myanmar resolution

  Radio Televisaun Timor Leste , 26 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  President Jose Ramos Horta has called for the Government to ratify the Resolution of Myanmar in the up coming December.

• F-FDTL’s two ships will start operating in next year: Ruak

  Radio Televisaun Timor Leste , 26 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  The Timorese Defense Force (F-FDTL) Commander, Brigadier General Taur Matan Ruak said the F-FDTL’s two ships which were purchased from China would start doing operations in March next year.

• Police commander apologizes for shooting a young man

  Radio Televisaun Timor Leste , 26 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  The Timorese Police Commander, Commissary Longinhos Monteiro has expressed apology to the family of a young man who was shot by a police officer last Saturday in Vila Verde of Dili.

• Horta: “International adviser should control referendum package project”

  Diario Nacional , 26 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  President Jose Ramos Horta is concerned about mechanism of implementing the referendum package project in the field; therefore he [Horta] called for the international advisers to control the project; otherwise the project could not appear a good result.

• President Horta explains the country’s situation to NTT delegation

  Diario Nacional , 26 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  President Jose Ramos Horta has explained the general situation of the country to the delegation from Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) of Indonesia.

• MS, UNFPA, UNICEF, and WHO review 2009’s programs

  Diario Nacional , 26 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  Health Ministry, UNFPA, UNICEF, and WHO have held meeting to review their programs implemented in this for identifying the advantage and disadvantage of the programs implemented, so that they could make improvement in the 2010’s budget execution.

• Guterres: “SES yet to receive report”

  Diario Nacional , 26 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  State Secretary for Security, Francisco Guterres said he was yet to receive report about the case of police officer shot a young man in Vila Verde of Dili last Saturday.
  
  

Dunedin officer awarded by UN for drowning rescue

NZPANovember 27, 2009, 4:10 pm

• 
  
  

NZPA ©Enlarge photo

, Superintendent Bob Burns, will present Senior Constable Malcolm Parker with the UN Courageous Service Award at a police medal ceremony today.

In March, while working in East Timor, Mr Parker saw an elderly man riding a horse get into trouble crossing a rapidly rising river near Suai.

His horse was pushed over by the rushing water and the man was being pulled underwater.

Mr Parker waded into the river where he helped the struggling man stay above the water and dragged him to safety.

Witnesses said the man would have drowned without Mr Parker's help.

The commendation, awarded by United Nations transitional force Police Commissioner Luis Carrilho, describes his actions as "heroic and chivalrous" and commends him for his "courageous and valiant accomplishment".

Mr Burns said New Zealand Police, which had a long-term commitment in Pacific deployments, were "highly regarded for their ability to easily interact with the locals and their traditional Kiwi `can do' attitude".

"Mal not only epitomised that reputation throughout his deployment, but took it one step further in risking his own life to save another.

"He is a credit to NZ Police and Southern Police in particular."

Mr Parker served in East Timor as part of the United Nations integrated mission from November 2008 until April 2009.

He was been stationed in south Dunedin for nine years and is the first officer from the district to receive the award.

source:http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/6524469/dunedin-officer-awarded-by-un-for-drowning-rescue/

Argument over pipeline clouds Timor gas deal

DANIEL FLITTON

November 26, 2009

EAST Timor has warned it will abandon a multibillion-dollar deal with Australia to exploit natural gas fields in the Timor Sea unless a pipeline is built to deliver the bounty directly to the impoverished nation.

Francisco da Costa Monteiro, special adviser to East Timor's secretary of state for natural resources, flew into Canberra yesterday for talks with federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson in an attempt to break the impasse.

East Timor wants gas from the Greater Sunrise project to be piped about 200 kilometres to East Timor's southern coastline, with a plant to be built for processing.

A consortium led by resources company Woodside will develop the project.

But Woodside has ruled the proposal too expensive, preferring to examine plans for a floating plant above the field or piping the gas some 500 kilometres to Darwin.

The value of the Sunrise gas field is estimated at more than $50 billion.

Woodside senior vice-president Jon Ozturgut this week told investors a decision on where to process the gas would be announced by the end of the year.

But Mr Da Costa said the Government in Dili would not accept sending the gas abroad and accused Woodside of ignoring the interests of the Timorese people.

''For us, the best outcome is development of Greater Sunrise on the shores of Timor Leste that can underpin the overall economic and social development of the country,'' he told The Age.

Mr Da Costa said establishing the project was expected to cost $8 billion to $10 billion and that investment would drive the development of other services in the country of 1 million. ''That's the reason why we see that for Australia this is one drop in a big ocean, but for Timor Leste this is almost the single biggest [project] and you can imagine how much attention we put into this,'' he said.

A spokesman for Mr Ferguson issued a statement saying the destination of the pipeline was a commercial matter to be determined by the project partners.

But Mr Da Costa said that under the terms of various treaties dividing the oil and gas fields between Australia and East Timor, the two governments should be left alone to decide how to develop the fields.

He said East Timor was willing to leave the resources in the ground for future generations rather than rushing into a deal. Resources companies from China and Malaysia have recently been invited to examine the Greater Sunrise field.

''They should start to realise that Timor today is very different from Timor in 2002 and 1999 or before,'' Mr Da Costa said.

He pointed out that East Timor's substantial national savings from other resource projects came to a total of more than $5 billion.

''If it's [Great Sunrise] to be developed, then it's to be developed to Timor Leste,'' he said.

''If it's not coming to Timor Leste, then we will not approve anything.''

source: http://www.theage.com.au/

East Timor MX International

General News
Aussie MX and FMX riders tear it up in East Timor


Posted: Monday, 23rd November, 2009 : 12:52 PM - - 673 Reads -


East Timor, the small island nation about an hour north of Darwin; might not be the first place you think of when talking Motocross and FMX, but recently a group of Aussie and local East Timorese riders came together in the nations capital Dili to take part in the country's biggest and most prestigious dirt bike event - the Conoco Phillips MX International.

Although the event was primarily put on to showcase motocross, and to stage the final round of the 2009 Conoco Phillips Underground FMX Tour, the significance of the event reaches far beyond the berms, stutters and freestyle ramps of the custom track built especially for the event at Dili's Delta Speedway.

Now in it's fifth year, this year's event saw the largest field of local and international riders come together at an event that is not only unique to the region, but is also one that quite literally brought the nation's capital to a standstill. As part of a three day dirt bike extravaganza, it included an incredible ¡®street ride' that saw a group of over 100 riders take to the main streets of Dili on their dirt bikes, accompanied by local and UN security convoys. The ride closed down traffic in the centre of Dili and was certainly one of unique and incredible parts of the event.

The international riders also helped build important cultural bridges between Australia and Timor as they visited a number of orphanages, and local villages to put on shows for the locals and give them a taste of what Australian MX & FMX was all about.

Kickstart Media, the team that bring you MXTV, were on location to capture all the action in a 30 minute TV special that is set to air at 7PM on Tuesday the 24th of November.

"The logistics involved in getting bikes, people, the track and everything else together for any MX event is pretty hard¡± said Executive Producer Brendan Bell on his return from the island, but I mean less than 10 years ago Timor was a country at war - so the fact that an event like this is on in this country, and is so well organized is incredible really "we we're completely blown away".

A lot of the things here are like nothing I've ever seen at any event before so it's fantastic that we got the opportunity to show some of that to dirt bike fans in Australia.

The event was attended by Timor's President, Nobel Peace Prize Winner Jose Ramos\Horta, and was broadcast live all day across Timor on the country's primary free©\to©\air broadcast TV station.

You can check out all the incredible action from the Conoco Phillips MX International on Tuesday the 24th of November at 7pm on Foxtel & Austar Channel 183 ( Aurora )

http://www.fullnoise.com.au/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_full&News_id=6430

'Witness’ To Timor Murders Steps Forward Monday, 23 November 2009, 12:00 pm Article: Sasha Uzunov

Explosive Allegation: 'Witness’ To Timor Murders Steps Forward

by Sasha Uzunov

A man who claims he was an Australian soldier on the East Timor-Indonesia border and viewed through binoculars but was powerless to stop the brutal murder of 3 United Nations aid workers in Atambua in 2000 has had an application for a disability pension rejected by Australia’s Department of Veterans Affairs DVA).

The man, who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of retribution, is being represented by Mr Brian O'Neill, advocate and pension officer with the Returned Services League, Australia’s veteran peak body.

source: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0911/S00751.htm

Chinese base plan causes headache

• by Mark Dodd 
• From:The Australian 
• November 23, 2009 12:00AM

EAST Timorese plans to build a naval base for Chinese-made patrol boats has raised concerns about Beijing's military influence in a region traditionally regarded by Canberra as its own.

Plans to develop a navy base at Betano in the south were announced last week by East Timorese Secretary of State for Defence Julio Pinto.

The timing coincides with growing unease in the Gusmao government over Australian peacekeeping troops.

Mr Pinto said Betano would be an important base to refuel the new craft during coastal patrols between western Viqueque and Betano.

Last year, the Gusmao government controversially agreed to buy two 1960s-era 43m armed Shanghai Class patrol boats for $25 million, a deal that apparently included construction of a landing dock on the south coast.

While no offer has been made to give China military access, the base underscores growing military links between Beijing and Dili.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.

RELATED COVERAGE

• Doubts cling to Dili dealThe Australian, 16 Oct 2009
• East Timor marks freedom voteThe Australian, 30 Aug 2009
• E Timor seeks pipeline actionThe Australian, 24 Aug 2009
• Paradise still lostAdelaide Now, 21 Aug 2009
• Rising in the eastAdelaide Now, 5 Aug 2009

End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.

Those ties are consistent with Dili's desire to assert more independence from Canberra and Jakarta, said Hugh White, head of Australian National University's Strategic and Defence Studies Centre.

"What Australians fail to recognise -- notwithstanding our role 10 years ago -- for East Timor, living next door to a country like Australia is somewhat uncomfortable," Professor White told The Australian.

"Seeking to balance Australia's role, and for that matter Indonesia's role, in their international position is a perfectly understandable thing to do."

While there was nothing illegitimate about China taking an interest in East Timor, Australian governments have always been "very neuralgic" at the idea of external powers gaining military bases in the inner arc of islands to our north, he said.

"That neuralgia is very clearly expressed in the 2009 (defence) white paper so that if China acquires military basing access to East Timor, that would raise some important issues for the (Rudd) government," Professor White said.

source: The Australian

• • www.timornewsline.com

    Majority of women around the word will be affected by climate change: UNFPA
    

    Radio Televisaun Timor Leste , 23 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
    According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)’s report launched on Thursday (19/11) that majority of women around the world are affected by climate change.

  • Children yet to get access to good health and education: Horta

    Radio Televisaun Timor Leste , 23 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
    President Jose Ramos Horta said children in Timor-Leste have not got access to good health and education. Therefore, the Government needs to allocate more budgets to the field of health and education.

  • Govt gets support from IMF: Pires

    Radio Televisaun Timor Leste , 23 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
    Minister for Planning and Finance, Emilia Pires said the Government had no proper policy yet to strengthen macro economic system of the country, but the Government was continually supported by the International Monterey Funds (IMF).

  • PM Gusmão has good will to serve Timorese people

    Diario Nacional , 23 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
    President Jose Ramos Horta said Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão had good will to serve the country’s people, due to he was well-reorganized.

  • Commitment is needed to support Timorese children: Horta

    Diario Nacional , 23 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
    President Jose Ramos Horta has called for the Government and the Parliament to have a new commitment to help support all children in Timor-Leste, as they are the country’s future.

  • We do not need to provoke one another: Gusmão

    Diario Nacional , 23 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
    Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão has called for all the Timorese politicians not to provoke one another in the process of the country’s development.

  • Luta Hamutuk urges PM Gusmão to control ministries

    Diario Nacional , 23 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
    General Manager for Luta Hamutuk [a national NGO], Joaozito Viana has urged Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão to control some of the ministries, due to they are incapable of executing the country’s general state budget for 2009.

  • Carrascalão holds inspection into roads’ projects in Kintal-boot and Manleuana

    Timor Post , 23 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
    Deputy Prime Minister for Management and Public Administration, Mario Viegas Carrascalão has held an urgent inspection into the referendum package project for road reparation in Kintal-boot and Manleuana of Dili district on Saturday 21/11.

  Brigadier Ruak: “Generation in the F-FDTL institution should be replaced”
  

  Timor Post , 23 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  Timorese Defense Force (F-FDTL) Commander, Brigadier General Taur Matan Ruak said the old generation of Falintil in the F-FDTL institution should be replaced by the new generation in order to better develop and give a new spirit to the F-FDTL.

• UNICEF hands over report on the children’s life to President Horta

  Timor Post , 23 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  UNICEF Representative in Timor-Leste, Jun Kukita has officially handed over their special edition of report on the children’s health world wide to President Jose Ramos Horta and the Commissary for the children’s right, Adalgisa Ximenes.

• Corruption case in Ministry of Education is now in court

  Timor Post , 23 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  Minister of Education, João Cançio Freitas said allegation of corruption appeared within his Ministry was now in the court to be processed legally.

• CNE holds an International seminar about ELK

  Timor Post , 23 November 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  President for the National Commission for Election, Faustino Cardoso said they had officially opened an International seminar discussing about election system which was adopted by all countries in the world.